Amazon Files Patent for Flying Warehouse

Many people are expecting drones to take over in 2017, but I’m not sure any of us saw a flying warehouse coming.

That’s right. Amazon filed a patent for a flying warehouse, and they got it, according to NBC News. It’s officially called an “airborne fulfillment center” within the patent.

The center will be a warehouse and drone airport that is expected to hang from a blimp. NBC reported that these blimps will fly at about 45,000 feet and delivery drones will take off from the centers to deliver packages.

No more waiting several days for shipping; with this new feature, Amazon would have the ability to deliver packages within minutes, DigitalTrends.com reported.

Amazon says they wouldn’t need much power because the drone will be flying down instead of taking off from land.

“When the UAV departs the AFC, it may descend from the high altitude of the AFC using little or no power other than to guide the UAV towards its delivery destination and/or to stabilize the UAV as it descends,” according to the patent.

The company also pointed out how useful these would be at crowded events like football games. A blimp stocked with items for tailgaters would hover over parking lots and arenas. Now they just need to figure out a way to prevent an intoxicated fan from snatching one.

Amazon completed its first drone delivery earlier this month in the United Kingdom. According to the Washington Post, the package contained popcorn and an Amazon Fire TV streaming device.